LOS ANGELES, Nov. 9, 1998 (PRIMEZONE) -- Employees and bosses are finding communication is suffering in today's fast paced work environment, but the bad connections are more than inconvenience.
They're also a costly drain.
Communication mishaps are eroding productivity and leaving employers at a competitive disadvantage, new studies show. The blunders can crush morale, especially during times of widespread change.
"If I try to force a 20-minute conversation into a 5-minute block of time, I may have to do damage control later on. It may be too abrupt," says media expert and author Michael Levine. "As we try to find shortcuts, we run into more problems."
Executives say 14 percent of each 40-hour workweek is wasted because of poor communication between staff and managers, based on a September survey by OfficeTeam. That amounts to a staggering seven workweeks of squandered productivity a year.
Blame it partly on today's time crunch.
Often, ideas are shared over telephone lines instead of over lunch. Dashed-off e-mail has replaced thoughtful letters.
And the on-line company newsletter has usurped many company-wide meetings.
"There are more avenues to reach people than ever before, but there's no substitute for face-to-face communication," says Mr. Levine. "I have seen managers manage by e-mail, and it troubles me."
"Otherwise," he adds, "people live with fear, doubt, and confusion. If you allow that to happen as a corporate leader, shame on you. People don't resist change, they resist the unknown." -0-